You could say Jerry Jones is stuck in the past. And you wouldn’t be wrong. Because right now, he seems to be taking a page out of his own book as he manages life after Micah Parsons.
Remember the Herschel Walker trade? I think Jones is doing it again. Or, trying to.
As quirky as Jones may seem — and as bombastic as his quotes get — he generally has a plan. No, really! I’ll admit it’s sometimes a bad plan. But right now, it’s too early to make a final deliberation on the Parsons deal. And that’s because we’re still seeing the layers unfold.
The latest developments? The Dallas Cowboys traded for Jets defensive tackle Quinnen Williams and Bengals linebacker Logan Wilson on Tuesday ahead of the NFL trade deadline.
Quinnen Williams, the Cowboys’ latest acquisition, was a three-time Pro Bowler with the Jets. (Photo by Harry Murphy/Getty Images)
Back in August when Jones dealt Parsons to the Green Bay Packers, I wondered whether the Cowboys owner might be trying to (slowly) re-create the 1989 Walker deal, when Jones traded his best player in exchange for a package of eight picks and four players.
The strategy worked because Dallas grabbed Emmitt Smith in the 1990 draft to replace Walker. And so the Cowboys not only seamlessly replaced their star running back, they also used the rest of the picks and players to build up a core worthy of three Super Bowl titles (XXVII, XXVIII and XXX). It was the Walker trade that helped Jones (lose and then) win the court of public opinion in Dallas during his early days of ownership.
Walker was an incredible player. The best. Seemingly irreplaceable. Once the core of the Cowboys’ identity.
Parsons is an incredible player. The best. Seemingly irreplaceable. Once the core of the Cowboys’ identity.
But after contract talks deteriorated between Parsons and Jones, the owner decided the star edge rusher would be worth more if sold for parts. The Parsons trade wasn’t quite as big in scale as the Walker trade. For Parsons, the Cowboys received defensive tackle Kenny Clark and two first-round draft picks.
Kenny Clark (#95) celebrates with Osa Odighizuwa after a sack against the Cardinals on Nov. 3. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images)
Now, I don’t want to go totally revisionist here with the Parsons trade. His dispute stemmed from a meeting in which Jones seemingly tried to negotiate an extension with him without an agent present. It’s not like Jones did himself any favors during press conferences, particularly when he inexplicably kept calling Micah … “Michael.” It looked bad.
But after all the theatrics and silliness, we’re starting to see what Jones is getting in return for “Michael.” It stars with Williams, Clark and Wilson.
For Williams, the Cowboys gave up a 2026 second-round pick, a 2027 first-rounder (the better selection between theirs and Green Bay’s) and defensive tackle Mazi Smith. For Wilson, the Cowboys gave up a seventh-rounder.
You can plainly see these deals are not alike. Wilson is a flier, a post-major-injury veteran who could contribute in the ways running back Javonte Williams has done.
The 29-year-old Logan Wilson had lost his starting job with the Bengals before his trade to Dallas. (Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
But Quinnen Williams is the bona fide prize. He’s 27. He’s among the best at his position. And he can solidify the defense as a run defender and pass rusher. To put the cherry on top, he arrives on a financial discount, set to make just $61.8 million through the next two-and-a-half seasons. That discount is important because though the Cowboys have $20 million in cap space this year, they’re over the cap by $55 million in 2026, per Over The Cap.
Dallas still has two first-round picks for 2026. If I were a betting man, I’d guess that Jones will take one of those picks and trade down — converting it into more picks and, in turn, more players. That way, he has more to show for the Parsons trade. That way, the Parsons trade looks more like the Walker trade.
I don’t know if it’ll work. I don’t know if Williams, Clark, Wilson and whoever else becomes a part of this deal will ever amount to Parsons’ value. And I don’t know if the Cowboys will make the playoffs this year, given they have just a 4% chance per the New York Times’ simulator. And obviously, no one knows for sure if all of this will help the Cowboys finally get back to a Super Bowl.
It could blow up in Jones’ face. If the Cowboys have a bad 2026 season, then they might end up giving the Jets a top-10 selection. But of course, Jones probably thinks he’s headed to the Super Bowl next year behind a revamped defense. Which is why he made the trade.
Ultimately … I don’t hate the moves. Jones has already paid quarterback Dak Prescott and star receiver CeeDee Lamb, positions that are proven to matter from an EPA standpoint. Jones might also pay receiver George Pickens this offseason. There was no doubt that the Cowboys had a better defense with Parsons — but they were still a middle-of-the-road unit. And when he was hurt, they were garbage (just like they are now). In the new iteration, the depth of the unit will have to be its strength.
No doubt it’s a risky play. Williams needs to be incredible. Same with the player the Cowboys select with the remaining Green Bay first-round draft pick. But if it works, it just may be reminiscent of a 36-year-old strategy that led to a dream decade in Dallas.
Before joining FOX Sports as an NFL reporter and columnist, Henry McKenna spent seven years covering the Patriots for USA TODAY Sports Media Group and Boston Globe Media. Follow him on Twitter at @henrycmckenna.
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